Ancient Mesopotamia 3300-331 B.C.E.: Family and Social Trends Research Article from World Eras

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Erotica. Erotic clay figurines, cylinder seals, and plaques graphically depicting positions for sexual intercourse and sensual pleasure have been found throughout the Near East at the sites of ancient temples, tombs, houses, and taverns. Terra-cotta plaques from the Old Babylonian period (circa 1894 - circa 1595 B.C.E.) and lead plaques from the Middle Assyrian period (circa 1400 - 1050 B.C.E.), in particular, illustrate a variety of erotic subjects, providing information about Mesopotamian sexual practices.

Intercourse. The most common position for sexual intercourse was "the missionary position." Some sources describe intercourse with the woman on top of the man, which is perhaps the context for the Amorite saying "You be the man, let me be the woman." A sexual omen in the series Shumma alu, the encyclopedic corpus of omens taken from events in people's everyday lives, compiled in the seventh century B.C.E., warns that in this...